Opening Day

3 innings is enough for me, clearly the Dodgers aren’t going to be a threat to the Brewers World Series run.

For the Brewers, it seems like the consensus 2nd best pitching prospect and top 10 overall would be Ethan Small. Similar drafts positions with Small being older and closer.

There is a lot of talk about toiling in the minors and guys who get a cup of coffee in MLB. It seems misplaced to me. The players seem to me to be more focused on freeing up big market teams to give guys like Trout, Soto, Harper, Burnes (insert sad face emoji), etc an extra $100 mil or so than they do about the guys on the bottom. Maybe I’m reading the situation wrong, but if one of their main goals is to have big markets pay less to smaller markets, that’s not helping the “little guy” MLB’er. That’s just creating bigger top end salaries in top end markets while cutting the operating budgets of smaller market teams. More money might be spent on players, which is obviously the goal of the union, but those gains would more than likely be concentrated in a handful of players. And that’s fine, if that their prerogative, but it doesn’t make me feel anyway about a guy riding the bus in A ball, he’s irrelevant.

Personally I don’t care if the owners have to file for bankruptcy or make a trillion dollars. I don’t care if the players make minimum wage or if they make so much they send the billionaire owners into bankruptcy. I just want a Brewers WS and a deal that works them. A guy with a summertime job who is worth $100 mil fighting with his business owner who is worth 2 billion over millions, its tough for me to emotionally take a side. I will say, I think my definition of “exploited” is a little different than some of these posts.

I think it is Ashby right now. But if they can get a bat for Houser or Lauer, then I could see them giving Small that role.

I go to fewer games than ever before. I still tune into every game, but going live, in person, is no longer a priority. Way too pricey, then add the 3 hour round trip drive, the inconsiderate fans who can't stay in their seats, the parking, and everything else, I'd just rather watch from the comfort of my own couch. Cheap beer, cheap snacks, no driving... I no longer feel like pro sports appreciates the fans and all the cash we spend hand over fist at their stadiums. Broadcast rights are the real money makers for teams now, so whether you go to the games in person or pay to watch them on TV you're still buying their product. None of the MLB teams are "not for profit" corporations, so why can anyone blame them for wanting to keep as much of the "pie" for themselves as possible. Any business whether it sells baseball games, cars, computers, widgets wants to keep labor costs as low as they can. Likewise, despite the mythology spewed by the networks and hero worship. The athletes aren't playing for free, they're playing for money. Nobody should blame them in a capitalist system for trying to get as much of the "pie" for themselves as possible. Unless the purchasers of their product send a message that they no longer want to go to games, watch games, listen to games etc. the revenues keep going up and form the basis of the fight between the labor and the producer of the product. It's not unique to baseball it happens every day in America. I think the point is they have a set season. Their loyal customer base has been promised a set season. They refuse to put an honest effort into getting a deal done in time to provide their loyal customers with the promised season. And this happens just about every time they need a new deal. Also, while the TV money is the main source, on a per capita basis they make a ton more money if you go in person. If they got an extra 35,000 tv viewers, but had 0 people attending, it would make a difference. Not that I’m advocating that, to each their own. It is in many ways unique to sports in America. How many other huge name brands will be completely unavailable to purchase anywhere because they waited too long to negotiate with labor? I’m sure there are examples, but not at the frequency of baseball.

To me there are degrees of character issues. Disposition with the media, off putting political views (subjective obviously), minor drug offenses, and generally being a dick shouldn’t keep you out. Rapists, pedos, extreme domestic violence, and killers should be left out. Anything that directly affects the game should also be considered, including gambling and PED’s. Shilling should be in. Bonds and Clemens should be in if other PED users, especially those who actually failed like Ortiz, are in. There is no good argument in me that Roger Clemens isn’t a HOF but Ortiz is. For me, Rose is out, betting on games you actively participate is over the line.

Agreed, don’t think I’ve ever said this, but 50 years seems like a light sentence. Castration and being put to death by starvation would seem like a more appropriate sentence.

If PED’s mean you are out, then Bonds, Clemens, and Ortiz are out. If PED’s are ok, then Bonds and Clemens are first ballot and Ortiz is still borderline in at best. Ortiz being a first ballot while two vastly better players are out, when all three did the same thing, is ridiculous. In fact, there is more concrete evidence of Ortiz (failed test) using than the two better players left out. Ortiz is a first ballot Hall of Media Favorites inductee.

Lineup should be interesting. Manny over Omar vs LHP has been the way all season, so would expect that to continue. Think Tyrone will be the first PH vs a lefty. Short of injury I'd guess Yelich / Cain / Avisail start every postseason game. Urias would require sitting one of Rowdy or Escobar. Rowdy was the hero yesterday & Escobar has better splits vs LHP. Pretty tough call. Having a DH would make navigating all this at least a little easier. Maybe next year. Less than 3 weeks away

If there is any team I hate in sports it’s the Cardinals (I’ve had an unhealthy desire to punch Willie McGee in the face since I was 6 in 1982). If this Brewers team with the best pitching in my lifetime gets eliminated from the playoffs by this Cardinals team I’m done with sports forever. I don’t know if this is the time or place for this (sorry mods) but I’m drunk and more bitter than at any time during this season.

I’m glad Escobar didn’t waste his energy running a whole 90 ft.

I’m glad Escobar didn’t waste his energy running a whole 90 ft.

The J&J vaccine efficacy is more like 66%, but the efficacy against hospitalization/death is almost 100%. There is some evidence that it is not as effective against the Delta variant, which accounts for >90% of new positive tests. Which company makes the Delta variant test?

And that right there is the simple key to a “small market” maintaining success. The GM and the manager have to be one step ahead. Stearns went out and got 3 guys mid season with over .900 ops since joining the Brewers without giving up much of note. Counsell picks the right spots. The gives the Brewers a competitive advantage over most every club that is only made up by other teams (Dodgers for example) with $. Now if Norris can get an out or two...